Lost and Found

Disclaimer: I do not own twilight

Lost and Found

A Twilight story
Pairings usual except for Edward/my character Bella/Jacob

It will change POV sometimes.

Senior year, Edward and Bella have split for good, but the Cullens haven't left.

Chapter 24 To Want to Heal

Edward's POV

"Carlisle," I heard Alice shout again. I have never heard her sound so desperate in all of the years that I have known her. She didn't even sound this bad when Bella was injured by James when we were in Phoenix.

I could hear her shout but it sounded as if she was a million miles away. My attention was only on the battered form of the one that I have come to love. Carrie was covered in blood that was both old and new. There are various fresh slashes and burns on her body. She was practically unrecognizable, and so far I have only seen her from the back.

Carrie's back is by far the worst of the damage so far. There are only a few streaks of skin left and some of the flesh hung like ribbons from her form. I could see what appeared to be different levels of injuries; some are close to the surface while the others are deep and gauging. In amongst these slashes are burns that appeared to be made after some slashes were made and a few looked as if they were slashed again. The stench of burned flesh still hung in the air.

Before I could even continue my evaluation of her injuries I found myself hunched over, my body lurching with dry heaves. Her injuries so far are just so horrible that my stomach is churning, disgusted about what she had to go through, what I couldn't protect her from. That and the smell of her blood throughout the clearing were too much for me to handle. I heard Alice drop by my side and felt her shaking hand rub my back in what was supposed to be a comforting manor. I could tell that she too was having trouble with what she saw and could smell. For the second time since I met Carrie I was not there for her when she needed me most.

The others approached our location as I got myself back together and straitened from my hunched over position. I could hear them all wondering what we have found. I could also sense there confusion for why I was on the ground, but before they questioned me what was wrong I heard a gasp that was quickly followed by more. They all came forward to stand on either side of Alice and me, silently taking in the sight of the clearing and Carrie's form.

Carlisle stepped toward her hesitantly, brushing the snow that has accumulated on her. "She is far too cold to the touch," I heard him murmur to himself.

"Is she alive," Esme asked in concern. It sounded as if she was on the brink of hysteria.

Carlisle slowly and hesitantly moved his hand toward Carrie's throat to check her pulse; he closed his eyes in concentration. I heard him think, 'where is it, where is it,' as he kept his fingers pressed against her pulse point. I became worried when a grim expression appeared on his face and he didn't say anything for a couple of minutes. "Her heart is beating but just barely," he said quietly. "We must hurry if we want her to live. Her heart is beating too slowly and she is cold to the touch. Let's get her out of these restraints and wrapped up in a blanket," he said louder to us.

Esme took her bag off and brought out a large blanket that she had packed into her bag and started to lay it out on the ground. It was waterproof so she wasn't worried about it getting wet. Carlisle reached for her left arm to remove the shackle there; Emmett and Jasper moved forward to help remove the others her other arm, legs and ankles. Alice got up and moved to my right, looking at the ground as if she was looking for something. Rosalie was getting some hot water bottles out of our bags and placing them on the blanket. I remained where I was on the ground for I haven't the strength to move.

"Break the chains, we'll work on getting the shackles off her later," Carlisle said to Jasper and Emmett. The shackles could not be removed because her blood had frozen them to her skin. Therefore they couldn't be removed without causing more damage to her body and we had to wait to safely remove them.

I slowly got to my feet and approached them on unsteady legs. I reached forward and gently grabbed a hold of Carrie, one arm around her waist the other around her upper chest to support her shoulders. Her body really is ice cold, similar to ours. Her back looks and feels as if it is frozen due to all of the blood. I held her close to me as the chains were broken and she was freed. I carefully picked her up as best as I could and carried her over to the blanket to set her down. Her body was so cold and stiff that Carlisle had to gently move her limbs so that she would lay flat on the blanket and her arms by her side.

"Pack some of the hot water bottles around her form especially the head, neck, pits and groin then wrap her up tightly," Carlisle said as he demonstrated. Rosalie placed the bottles around Carrie as instructed and Esme wrapped her up tightly. She went to pick Carrie up but I quickly scooped her up into my arms. I did this because I wanted to be close to her and be there for her. Also with Carrie in my arms I would be too preoccupied to go and murder the people that had done this to her.

As we headed back home we traveled in a circle with me holding Carrie in the middle. I wanted to move faster because I was worried about her. As we traveled Carlisle came beside me a couple of times and reached into the blankets to check on Carrie. After each time he checked he told us to move faster, but still stay in a group. He wanted all of us there together.

As we arrived home we all straight toward Carrie's room so we could get to work. "Someone draw a warm bath. Don't make it too hot, we don't want to shock her body as we try to get her body temperature up," Carlisle said. Esme and I followed him into the bathroom while the others remained in the bedroom.

During the time that it took for the tub to fill with warm water Carlisle took Carrie's temperature. He stuck a thermometer in her ear and got a quick reading. "Seventy five degrees; that certainly proves that she is a stubborn one alright, normally a person would be dead if their body temperature is eighty five degrees or lower," Carlisle said. Alice and Rosalie came in and took Carrie from me so I left to the bedroom so they could put her in the tub.

As time passed all was quite in the house. Esme, Alice and Rosalie would go in and out of the bathroom from time to time with bandages, wash clothes and medicine. I tried to listen into their thoughts to see how Carrie was doing but they were blocking me from their minds. I even tried to look into Carrie's but I just got a numb blackness.

I was seated on the foot of Carrie's bed, holding my head in my hands, eyes closed. Emmett sat on the side of the bed, elbows on his knees and his head down. Jasper was sitting in the chair by the desk staring at the wall across from him with his arms propped on the back of the chair. He was no doubt tense with all of our chaotic emotions bombarding him, and his own worry was affecting us as well, just making the whole situation worse for him. Whenever someone would come out of the bathroom we would all snap our heads in their direction. I could feel tightness in my chest as I observed whoever came out for they had a look of worry and urgency on their face.

After what seemed like an eternity, which was actually only a few hours, Rosalie came out and turned the blankets of Carrie's bed down and moved the hot water bottles that were placed there out of the way. Esme came out a short time later with Carrie bundled up with a blanket in her arms and placed her in the bed. The hot water bottles were placed around her body and the blankets pulled up to her chin. Carlisle emerged soon after with a trash bag full of bloody rags and bandages. I could hear Alice cleaning up in the bathroom. Rosalie soon reemerged with the bloody chains in her hands. I noticed most of the shackles were still intact so they must have been slid off. There were two that were hanging open, probably the ones that were around her ankles.

After Esme had Carrie all tucked in I went over to the side of the bed and sat on her left. All I could see was her face yet I still felt anger boiling within me. Her eyes and cheeks were sunk in and she had rings darker than ours around her eyes. From what I could see of her hair it appears to have been crudely hacked off. I could see bald spots where chunks of hair have been pull out. There were more cuts and burns on her face, including small gauges at the corners of her mouth that looked like someone was pressing the tip of a knife there and burns around her eyes. But the more gruesome of the injuries were a couple of long, thick, probably infected burn marks that went from the corners of her mouth to her ears. It looked like someone tried to make her look like the Joker from Batman. There was also a cut over her right eye that was vertical; starting right above the brow and went down, over the eye lid, to just below her cheek bone.

I was so angry at what I was seeing yet I also have never felt more like crying in my entire existence. It was so heart breaking to see her like this, I felt so terrible that I was unable to protect her and prevent the pain that she must have gone through. I shakily held my hand out to brush some hair out of her face. Esme was sitting on the other side of her with her hand slowly rubbing the area where Carrie's stomach would be. The others were crowded around the bed and even though I didn't have the powers that Jasper has I could feel the sadness and the worry emanating from them. Carlisle came back into the room and stood behind Esme with his hands on her shoulders.

"How is she Carlisle," Emmett asked.

Carlisle let out and large sigh before he said anything. "She's in severe hypothermia and we're having trouble getting her body temperature back up. On top of being beaten severely with what appears to be a whip along with a small blade and a hot metal rod she is really emaciated. She is so thin that you can see her ribs very prominently; when we weighed her we estimated her weight to be around eighty to ninety pounds. It is not good that she lost so much weight that rapidly."

"As stated before her heart is beating dangerously slow. It is beating a little faster but it is still too slow and it is beating in slightly irregular way. Her breathing is very shallow as well, almost as if they are not functioning. In a way she is on deaths door."

"Shouldn't we change her," Rosalie questioned, the others murmured in agreement. I was glad that I was not the only one scared to lose her.

Carlisle dropped his head and let out another sigh. "At this point in time I'm not sure if she would even survive the transformation process. Her body is so weak and there are other injuries. I'm not sure of what damage there has been internally, by appearances she hasn't eaten at all in the last week or so."

"What other injuries are you referring to Carlisle," I asked. This is the first thing I have said since Aro left the house. What Carlisle has said has me even more worried. Carrie is in such bad shape and we cannot even attempt to change her because the process will most likely kill her at this point in time.

"Well as of right now her body is in a coma like state or a hibernating state, we won't more accurately know what state her body is until she is warmed up more and she comes out of this." Carlisle seemed unwilling to continue with his explanation, but Esme lightly squeezed his hand in reassurance.

Carlisle stepped away from her and closer to Carrie. He moved his hand toward her eyes and lifted her eyelids. We all let out a gasp at what we saw. Carrie's eyes appeared as if they too have been burned. They were black and red and appeared to be infected. "As you can see it would be surprising if she isn't completely blind. These injuries appear to have been inflicted only a few days ago."

Carlisle removed his hand from her eyes and gently brushed his hand back over her head a couple of times. "Is that all Carlisle," Rosalie asked.

"Odd enough that you are the one to ask that question Rosalie," Carlisle said. We all sent him curious looks wondering how anything could be funny at a time like this.

"Forgive me for my small moment of twisted humor. What I meant by that was that Carrie has been sexually abused and assaulted in a rough way. Most likely some damage has occurred and she is still lightly bleeding. If we were in a hospital I would have a blood transfusion done for she has lost so much if the clearing is anything to go by. I'm slightly surprised that she is still able to bleed. That also suggested that it occurred most recently, within the past twenty four hours or so."

"Also if she does come out of this she will be in severe pain. She was out exposed in this weather for an extended period of time and it appears that she has severe frost bite. Her skin is already slightly discolored and it will get worse when her body temp increases and more tissue dies. Her back will be the worse because of the muscle damage and exposure. What muscle has been exposed will blacken with decay and be dead tissue that will have to be removed to prevent any type of blood poisoning. And as far as I can tell no bones are broken this time around."

"Shouldn't we change her when she gets better, at least to save her some pain," Esme asked in worry.

"I don't know dear, we will just have to wait and see," Carlisle replied. We all sat or stood around the bed as the sun finally rose over the horizon.

Alice then snapped her fingers causing our attention to turn toward her. She stood up and walked over to me while pulling something out of her pocket. She stopped and held her closed fist out toward me, palm down. "This is what she was going to grab off of the ground," she said. I immediately remembered the vision that she had last month during our camping trip. I hesitantly held my hand out under hers. She slowly opened her hand and I felt something fall into mine. She pulled away and I brought my hand closer to see what was so important to Carrie.

There in my hand was the necklace that I had given Carrie on our first and only official date. It was dirt and blood covered, some had rubbed off from being wet from the snow and being in Alice's pocket but there was still a lot there. As I looked at it and noticed that the chain and been broken. It was most likely pulled off of her neck and tossed away. I closed my fist tightly around the necklace, held it to my chest and turned back toward Carrie; hoping and praying that she would wake soon.

At around eight o'clock Carlisle took Carrie's temperature again. The reading this time was only a little over eighty degrees. "She should be warming up faster than this," he said. He had Rosalie take her to the bathroom to give her another bath; he allowed warmer water this time. When Rose and Alice finished Carrie's bath Carlisle went in to put more medicine on her injuries and re-bandaged them.

Alice carried her out and I noticed that her hair had been cut off close to the scalp. I also noticed that there were fresh stitches on her head that closed up a gash that went from the base of her skull on the right side and came around up the left side and finished on the top of her head on the right side. Alice placed her on the bed and I tucked her in. Rosalie left the room and came back in shortly afterwards and placed a knit hat that she was carrying on Carrie's head.

I sat on the bed next to Carrie so that my back was against the head board. While they were busy in the bathroom I went to my room and got some CDs to play in Carrie's stereo. I remembered how much she loved music and she would listen to it to make her feel better. Currently classical music was on and one of her favorites was playing: Vivaldi's Four Seasons. I also thought the music would make things seem less dreary. I hoped that Carrie could hear this, maybe it could help. She did always describe music as being therapeutic.

Currently it was only Alice, Jasper and I in the room. Alice was sitting at the foot of the bed, leaning against one of the banisters that held up the canopy. Her eyes were closed in concentration. She was trying to look to see what the outcome of all of this would be. Jasper, who was sitting in a chair next to Alice, and I were also trying to use our gifts to notice any change in her state. I was still getting the numb blackness and Jasper is getting much the same he got from her when she moved here, a numb emptiness.

Esme came in carrying a tray from which I could smell chicken broth in the bowl upon it. Esme placed the try on the bedside table. "Help me sit her up," Esme said as she sat on the edge of the bed facing the headboard on the side opposite of me. We both mange to arrange her so that she was still wrapped up in blankets but leaning against me as I was sitting up against the headboard.

We were sitting so that Esme could have the tray in her lap and to be able to feed Carrie, and I could hold her up. Jasper had left during the process but Alice remained. Before Esme could even attempt to feed her Alice grabbed a trash bin and stood right next to the bed. We looked at her questionably but she just responded with an, "You're going to need this."

Esme took a spoonful of broth and after cooling it down held it toward Carrie's mouth. I took my right hand and pried it open. Esme emptied the spoons contents in her mouth and I before I could close her mouth the broth leaked out and down her front. After the mess was cleaned up we tried it again. This time I had her head slightly tilted back so none of the broth could leak out. When the broth was in her mouth I placed my hand over it and tilted her head back some more.

That didn't work to well either for that caused Carrie to start coughing and sputtering. After a few more failed attempts we figured out a way to get her to swallow the broth without choking. We had about half of the bowl when Alice said, "Ah oh. You might want to move her closer to the bin." I quickly complied without complaint.

For a few seconds I just held her there with her head over the trash bin and nothing happened. I was about to pull her away when I heard some gurgling and stomach rolling sound. Sure enough what we had managed to get her to eat came right back up after which she had the dry heaves for a few minutes.

Esme left and came back with Carlisle and he attempted to feed her. After a few more failed attempts and two fresh bowls of broth we managed to get so that she didn't throw it up afterwards. "We're going to have to give her small amount frequently. If we can't get her to eat and hold it down we are going to have to take her to the hospital for a feeding tube. That won't be ideal because how are we going to explain all of this," he said. This new development had him concerned even more.

So a pattern was established. Every couple of hours Carrie would be given a hot bath in hopes of raising her body temperature faster, which Carlisle was still worried about, and then she was fed a small amount of broth. We are able to get about ten tablespoons in her before she would bring it back up. Carlisle was worried about this as well but he said a little bit was better than nothing.

The days passed and it was time for us to go back to school and Carlisle to go back to work. During the past few days my siblings and I have spent most of the time at Carrie's bed side. Last night Esme finally talked me into going out to hunt. My eyes have been black with thirst since Aro left and I haven't once left Carrie's side. The others tried to get me to hunt to get rid of my thirst but I told them I could handle it. But I left to hunt last night so I could go to school and not endanger anyone.

Today we went to school in my car with Alice driving for I didn't think it would be safe for me to do so. I was reluctant to leave the house for I wanted to be by Carrie's side. Esme said that I shouldn't miss school but I told her that it wouldn't make any difference for I've already completed school several times and I'll have to do it again in a few years anyway. I lost that one so here I am sitting in the back seat between Rosalie and Jasper on our way to school.

I had trouble concentrating in school for my mind was back at home wondering if Carrie was alright. During biology Bella asked me where Carrie was at but I just ignored her. It was currently lunch time and we were sitting at our table which seemed so empty and quiet without her there. Alice attempted to get me into a conversation but I just continued to stare at Carrie's empty seat.

I was brought out of the staring when the cafeteria suddenly got quite. I looked up and noticed that the principal was walking toward us and everyone was silently watching him. We all sat up straighter as he arrived at our table and before any greetings were exchanged he spoke.

"I just received an urgent call from your mother. She said that she wants all of you home right away and that your father is already there. She said that things have taken a turn for the worse and that you would know what I was talking about." As he said this he had a curious look on his face and I could hear the confusion from everyone else in the cafeteria.

I stood up so fast that I knocked my chair over. I felt someone grab my arm, probably to keep me from going too fast to seem human. The others got up quickly and we left a room full of curious people. The others formed a circle around me with Emmett on my right still holding on my arm and Jasper on my left. Alice was in front of me, keys in hand and Rosalie was behind me.

When we got to the car Emmett forced me into the back seat and him and Jasper got in quickly on both sides. Alice backed out quickly and tore out of the parking lot, heading toward home. Meanwhile thousands of possible scenarios ran through my head. What was wrong? Why had Carrie taken a turn for the worst? Is she okay? These and many more ran through my head.

Before the car even stopped completely in front of the house I climbed over Jasper and out of the door. I didn't even bother to open the front door I just knocked it down. I paused briefly knowing that Esme loved that door but I just pushed that thought aside and headed up the stairs.

When I entered the room I started to panic when I saw that Carrie's bed was empty. It was then that I heard something that sounded like a struggle coming from the bathroom. I hurried to the door and threw it open.

There I was slightly shocked at what I saw. A slightly wet Esme and Carlisle were holding Carrie down in the water filled tub. She appeared to be struggling against their grip but she was too weak and they were too strong. When Esme noticed that I was there she looked at me relieved. "Are the others here as well," she asked. Her question was answered by the others entering the bathroom.

"What's wrong with her," Alice asked worried for her friend and sister. Her thoughts were along the line of that she didn't see anything happening and it scared her not knowing what was going to happen.

"I went to check on her and I noticed that she was slightly sweating so I took her temperature. It read 99 degrees and it has been steadily climbing since then so I called Carlisle. I figured that if I didn't tell you guys about it you would be angry with me so I called the school and told the principal to send you home," Esme informed them. I was confused as to why they had her in the tub. 99 degrees is a decent temp, so why?

"What is her temperature now," Carlisle asked still holding Carrie still.

Esme let go, leaving only Carlisle to hold Carrie, and grabbed the thermometer. After about a minute she got a reading. "Her temp is 101 degrees, two degrees higher than what it was less than an hour ago.

"Her fever is climbing too fast. Someone, get me some fever reducer," Carlisle ordered. Alice went over to the medicine cabinet and grabbed said medicine and went over to Carrie. As instructed she opened Carrie's mouth and shoved the pills to the back of the throat, held her mouth shut and rubbed her throat to get her to swallow. Also Carlisle had Esme give her some sleep medicine to make sure that she stayed asleep.

After she was put into some dry clothes, since she was put into the tub with them on, Carrie was then placed back into bed wrapped up in hopes to help to break her fever. For the next couple of days we stayed at home and Carlisle left instructions of what to do if anything should happen and if they don't work to call him and work.

Carrie's heart beat has started to beat faster and the irregular beating was more noticeable to our sensitive ears. Her breathing was still shallow and was more labored than usual. I haven't left her side since we came home and the others would come in from time to time and sit with her but I was always there in case she needed me.

I was currently laying on the bed next to her, on my right side facing her with my arm around her. I worry that she won't wake up and leave me forever, sounds out of character a bit doesn't it. I asked Carlisle about changing her but he still won't do it and he has forbidden anyone else from doing so. Therefore I'm just lying here waiting for her to wake up.

As I was watching Carrie I noticed that her color began to pale to that of a white sheet and yet her skin began to slowly flush. As I watched she became paler and the flush more prominent. Her head started to roll side to side and she made little, weak noised in the back of her throat. I brought my hand up to her head and felt her brow; it was wet with sweat and was warm to the touch. I got up and went to the bathroom and grabbed the thermometer to take her temp.

When I got a reading I yelled for Esme, who arrived almost immediately followed closely by Alice and Jasper. Emmett and Rosalie went to the school to get all of our assignments for the week.

"What's wrong," Esme asked worryingly. I just tossed her the thermometer which still displayed the reading that I just took. 103.5, the thermometer read. "Quick we need to get her cooled down. Alice, go fill the tub with cool water. Someone use your body to try and cool her down, use skin on skin contact if you have to. Someone get some ice packs and have them ready."

We all moved to do as we were told while Esme went off to look for stronger fever reducer. Carrie was currently still tucked into bed but she was wearing a thin black t-shirt with red shorts, while I had on blue pajama pants and a white t-shirt. I went over and removed the blankets off of her form.

I could feel the heat rolling off of her and could tell that she was slightly shivering. I could hear that her breathing was slightly more labored as well. It sounded as if she was trying to breathe while standing in a small closet surrounded by thick fur coats. I picked her up and she seemed to shy away from my touch but I held her tight to me.

I carried her to the bathroom where Alice had just finished filling the tub with water and I went to place her in the water, clothes and all. Carrie just flexed away from the water with a small, quiet whine. I slowly lowered her into the water and she started to struggle and let out more whines that were a bit louder.

I quickly moved her a bit from the water only to try to lower her into it again. The more that Carrie's skin touched the water the more that she struggled and the more water that got on the floor. Alice and I rearranged ourselves so that she had a hold of her legs and I was holding Carrie up by her shoulders.

The more that she fought the louder and more desperate her screams became; despite us having a hold of her she was still thrashing and water was everywhere. Jasper came in with some ice packs but they were soon abandoned as he came to help us hold her down and still to prevent her from hurting herself more. Carrie got a quick reprieve when Esme came in with the medicine.

I brought Carrie into my lap as I sat in a chair that was close to the tub. I held her trembling form close to my own as Esme took her temp again. 104.3. I was getting more worried because I knew that at that temp things can start shutting down and 108 is lethal. Esme forced some fever reducer into Carrie and held some ice packs to her form.

Even with this Carrie was struggling. I heard sounds of light footfalls and I turned to look at the door just as Emmett and Rosalie came in. They had a worried look on their faces.

"What's wrong now," Rosalie asked standing in the doorway with her hands folded across her chest. She was not looking at Carrie; it was probably too hard for her. Her thoughts only confirmed this.

"She has a fever that has spiked dangerously high. We are trying to cool her off now," Jasper said as he tried to feed Carrie some ice cubes.

"We should get her back into the tub," Carlisle said as he stepped into the bathroom. His appearance slightly startled me since I hadn't heard his approach. He came toward us and began to check Carrie over. He took her temp again and it read 104.

"Let's try a different approach because we really need to cool her down or at least prevent her fever from getting any higher. Edward, give Carrie to someone else and go change into some swim trunks. I have an idea," Carlisle said.

I was about to argue but he just shot me a look and I swallowed what I was about to say. I stood up and handed her to Emmett who held her close, tucked into his arms. I went into my room and changed as Carlisle had commanded. I had to stop myself when I began reminiscing about our camping trip. When I came back into the bathroom I noticed that it was empty save for Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Emmett who was holding Carrie.

"Have a seat in the tub Edward," Carlisle said and I did as he said. Emmett came over and set Carrie so that she was lying back against me and I wrapped my arms around her thin frame. My arms were pinning hers to her side and I used my legs to hold hers down. Emmett left when Alice started the tub again.

When the cold water touched her she began to thrash and when she couldn't get away she began to scream. It was so heart breaking to hear her scream, it sounded as if she was being tortured. Her screams eventually subsided to whines and coughs and soon she wore herself out.

I sat there holding her as Alice and Esme poured water over her body and head. The latter of which caused more screams to begin again. To try and soothe her I began to whisper in her ear to reassure her and to let her know that I was there.

This went on for the next couple of days, most of which were spent in the tub. Carrie's fever was going up and down constantly. One scary moment was when her temp spiked to a little over 106; we had to pack her into ice water. But finally her fever broke on the third day. During this whole fiasco Carlisle had diagnosed Carrie of having a severe case of pneumonia for which there was no medicine that could really help.

"Will she pull through," I found myself asking him.

"Well it is really up to her, she will have to want to live in order to pull through. But don't worry, she is a stubborn one so she'll be okay," he told me as he placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. Together we stood there watching Carrie as she fought against an illness that we cannot help her with.